Combatting tobacco smoking is nowadays an urgent social problem. The World Health Organization, while stressing the major role of smoking in origination and development of cardio-vascular and oncological diseases, emphasizes an insistent need in decisive measures to be elaborated against smoking.
Modern medical practice, in addition to preventive measures, is in possession of certain methodical approaches and methods of combating the tobacco smoking. These cover substitution of nicotine-containing cigarettes with various confectionery products--candies, pills, as well as chewing forms---pastilles and chewing gum.
In combating tobacco smoking various distracting means are widely employed such as beads, cinema, reading, sports and the like (F. J. Chicou, 1975; R. Flurin et al. 1976; WHO Techn. Rep. Ser. 1975).
In a number of countries such as United States, Great Britain, France, Canada, Sweden and others a whole number of programs are under way to slow-down the consumption of tobacco goods. These comprise limitation of growth rates of domestic tobacco sales at the account of promoting their export, restriction of advertizing, reduction of the content of resinous substances and nicotine in sigarettes, marking thereof with indication of the content of these substances and the like (J. Joannou "Peut-on conjuree le peril tabagique", Vie med., 1979, 60, No. 9, 697-698).
As tobacco substitute in the USA, leaves of other night-shade plants are used in addition to tobacco such as potato, tomato, eggplant, digitalis and other plants (cf. Labadie L.C. Peut-on supprimer les facteurs de risque en bronchopatie chronique et en particulier le tabac", Mediater, med., 1976, 4, No. 112, 97, 99).
The tobacco goods proper are being modified in structure, e.g. by creation of filters, special paper treatment and the like (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,141; Beil M. "Zutverschmutzung durch", Prax. Pheumol., 1975, 29, Nr. 7, 403-412).
All these measures are but palliatives which do not fully solve the problem of a complete refusal from smoking.
For the treatment of persons with a long-time and strong nicotine dependence of the organism and if the person himself is incapable of giving it up, medicamental methods have been developed. All the pharmaceutical compositions employed for the treatment of chronic nicotinism can be divided into two groups. The first covers salts of silver, iron and copper. These substances are employed to develop a negative reflex to smoking, usually in the form of a solution, or in some countries (Sweden, Denmark, Austria) they are incorporated in chewing gum compositions. The resultant reflex is based on the appearance of a strong unpleasant taste in the mouth during smoking after a preliminary rinsing of the mouth cavity with solutions of salts, or after the use of a chewing gum containing such salts (Ser. No. Nasirov et al. "Anabasine Hydrochloride--New Antismoking Agent", Chemico-Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. XII, 1978, No. 2, 149-152/ in Russian/).
The second group of smoking-combating agents comprises substances of an alkaloidal nature possessing an effect on H-cholinoreactive systems of the organism similar to that of nicotine. The mechanism of their effect is caused by their structural similarity with nicotine and possibility of the emergence of a "competitive" antagonism between these alkaloids (F.R. Khalikova, S. H. Nasirov "On pharmacology of the Alkaloid Anabasine and some Polymeric and Copolymeric Derivatives Thereof", in Coll. "Pharmacology of Vegetable Compounds", Proceedings of Tashkent University, issue 457, 1973, p. 5-16).
Such substances are cytisine, lobeline and a novel domestically developed preparation - anabasine hydrochloride. Cytisine, for example, is incorporated into the composition of a known preparation "Tabex" (Bulgaria); it is also the basis of so-called "Kuz'-manovich tablets" (Yugoslavia) and of a domestic preparation "Lobesil" containing alkaloid lobeline (cf. Yu.D. Goldovt et al. "Pharmaceutical Preparations" Minsk, 1973, p.206-207; Orlovsky L.V. "Latent danger--on the detrimental effects of smoking", Moscow, "Znanije" (Knowledge) Publishers, 1977, p.64).
However, the efficiency of enteral administration of tabletted pharmaceutical preparations is insufficient.
The short-time effect of tabletted pharmaceutical preparations caused by decomposition thereof upon passing through the gastro-enteral and hepatic barriers creates practical inconveniences associated with the necessity of multiple administration of tablets (5-8 times a day) which, in turn, results in increased daily and course doses of the preparations.
The enteral administration of alkaloid medicated compounds can cause an undesirable effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach, thus resulting in painful symptoms in patients suffering from peptic ulcer (cf. S.H. Nasirov et al. "Chemico-Pharmaceutical Journal" vol. XII, 1978, No. 2, p. 149-152).